Chapter 289: Action

The aroma of cooked rice inside the steel pot permeated the air in the courtyard. The scent of rice significantly calmed the survivors of the calamity. Up until this point in time, most of the people hadn’t eaten anything else apart from the little leftovers in the escort party. Each and every single one of them was still terrified and at a loss. The burning bonfires and nostalgic aroma of rice caused warmth of the past to appear in everyone’s heads. A glimmer of hope was slowly ignited in their hearts.

Sitting around the other bonfire, Yan Liqiang shared all his thoughts and plans with the rest without holding any information back.

After listening to Yan Liqiang, Wang Hui, Huang Sheng, and Gong Dequan exchanged looks with each other. None of them spoke, but they were able to read each other’s thoughts through their exchanged glances.

The three of them weren’t able to think of a better plan than the one Yan Liqiang had proposed.

“Great, let’s do that!” Wang Hui suddenly slapped his thigh.

“Who will you bring with you to investigate the situation in the Imperial Capital, Brother Liqiang?” Huang Sheng inquired.

“I think it will be enough with just Brother Wang and myself. It’ll be harder to move around in larger numbers. With just the two of us, it’ll be easier for us to move around and we can also look out for each other!” Yan Liqiang bluntly told Huang Sheng and Gong Dequan. “Anyway, some of us will need to stay back to watch over the things here and move the goods out after we leave. We only have one day left. After the preparations are done, we will have to leave Jinling City after nightfall tomorrow!”

“Alright, there’s no time to lose. Brother Liqiang and I will set out tonight. The rhinodrake steeds can see well in the dark so there should be no problem for us to travel at night. We’re not that far from the Imperial Capital so we’ll definitely return before tomorrow evening. The escort party’s steeds are still around, so I’ll have someone prepare them and we’ll depart right away…” Wang Hui also had a vigorous and decisive personality. He had already gotten to his feet while speaking.

“If Brother Wang Hui and I can’t make it back before tomorrow evening due to some accident, don’t wait for us. Just proceed according to plan — pack up the goods and continue on the road. We will catch up with you all. If we can’t, then we shall meet up in Feng Provincial City!”

“Alright!” Wang Sheng and Gong Dequan nodded.

They all stood up from their spots around the bonfire, ended their discussion, and got to work right away.

Yan Liqiang searched for Gu Zexuan and Zhao Huipeng first, then told them his plan and briefed them. Both of them got worked up as soon as they heard Yan Liqiang. “Leader, both of us can go with you too…!” Gu Zexuan immediately expressed his disapproval. Although Zhao Huipeng remained silent, his gaze was extremely firm.

“We are only going to the Imperial Capital to check out the situation and gather information. It’ll be inconvenient if too many of us go!” Yan Liqiang explained, then lowered his voice and patted their shoulders. “The three of us are from Tianqiao Peak. If all of us go, how many from the escort agency will have to go too? If none of them go in this kind of situation, they would think that we are trying to take all the credit for this. There’s no telling what they will do next. We can only make it through this if all of us unite at a time like this. So let’s stop fighting. Wang Hui and I shall go while you both shall remain here and move with the rest from the escort agency…”

Gu Zexuan was a smart person. The moment Yan Liqiang said that, he instantly understood his concern. The admiration he had for him grew even more in his heart. It was impressive that Yan Liqiang was still considering these small details even at a time like this.

Zhao Huipeng clenched his fists tightly. “If only I progressed into a Supreme Martial Warrior or beyond that — I would be more of a help to you during times like these, Leader…”

Yan Liqiang smiled at Zhao Huipeng. He gave him another two heavy pats on his shoulder with his hand that was resting there. “Your performance today has really gained a whole new level of respect from me, Huipeng. I didn’t expect you’d be able to strike so valiantly and fiercely today. I believe that the Supreme Martial Warrior realm will not be your finish line. How can the three of us stop at being mere Supreme Martial Warriors? There’s still a long road ahead of us…”

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Yan Liqiang’s words warmed Gu Zexuan and Zhao Huipeng’s hearts. Both of them nodded at him heavily, no longer feeling dejected.

“Oh right, where is Yu Qing?”

Yu Qing was the lady that Yan Liqiang and the rest had rescued in Jinling City earlier today.

“That girl is doing some needlework over there,” Gu Zexuan replied.

“Needlework?” Yan Liqiang asked curiously.

“Yes. You’ll know if you go look over there, Leader. She has some fine skills…”

……

The lady was indeed doing some needlework near the burning bonfire. Her head was lowered while she worked attentively on a cotton fabric dyed in blue in silence.

Yan Liqiang and the rest had found the fabrics from one of the collapsed warehouses in the depot. They were originally the merchandises of a traveling merchant. However, the traveling merchant was never seen again after the incident last night. When the people in the escort party were cleaning up the depot, they retrieved the bundles of fabric from beneath the debris, proving to be useful right now.

The lady cut the fabric, then rolled and folded each piece up at a fixed measurements before sewing them together, leaving a slit that could be pulled open by a string. The lady’s hands turned the pieces of fabric into pouches which looked like long, thin pockets that could be tied around waists.

After the cooked rice in the metal pot had cooled down, it was filled into the pouches she made and then distributed to everyone from the escort agency as rations that they would bring with them in the following days.

Yan Liqiang was instantly relieved upon seeing Yu Qing’s dedication. He believed that the lady would definitely be able to leave with the people from the escort agency and that they wouldn’t abandon her either.

A lady who could hold back her tears after experiencing such a great catastrophe and still do needlework for others in an unfamiliar environment would definitely be able to survive!

……

Yan Liqiang didn’t have much to prepare — just a hooded cape for escorts that could defend against the cold, a bow, two quivers of arrows, a sword, as well as some rations and water.

After Wang Hui prepared himself, he brought out two of the most powerful rhinodrake steeds among the escort party.

Under the gazes of everyone in the escort party, both of them climbed onto their rhinodrake steeds. With the shake of the reins, the two rhinodrake steeds sped off into the darkness…

The lady who was doing the needlework lifted her gaze and watched Yan Liqiang’s silhouette disappear into the darkness with a longbow on his back. Her long lashes fluttered slightly. In her absent-mindedness, the needle in her hand slipped. A drop of blood oozed out from her fingertip…